Coursera 2024 Learner Trends: Filipino embraces AI Future with 9x surge in GenAI course enrollments

Coursera, Inc. (NYSE: COUR), one of the world’s leading online learning platforms, has revealed its annual learner trends for the Philippines, drawing insights from over 2.5 million registered learners.

This year, the Philippines showed an increase of 21% in the total number of learners on Coursera, highlighting the ambition and commitment of Filipinos to upskill and stay competitive in this rapidly evolving global workforce. Two key trends emerged in 2024: an unprecedented demand for GenAI learning and a growing preference for role-specific content to prepare for specific jobs. 

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According to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index 2024, AI skills have become a top hiring priority for Filipino leaders – 70% stated they wouldn’t hire candidates lacking AI skills, and 68% would prefer less experienced candidates with AI skills over more experienced ones without them. Reflecting this shift, someone in the Philippines enrolled in GenAI content on Coursera every 15 minutes in 2024, cementing its position as a must-have skill for professionals across industries.  

In the Philippines, GenAI learning saw explosive growth in 2024, with a 9X increase in enrollments. Courses such as Google AI Essentials, Generative AI for Everyone and Generative AI: Introduction and Applications led to this surge. While foundational GenAI courses remained popular, the focus shifted toward workplace applications, showcasing a growing interest in practical uses of the technology.

Beyond AI, Filipino learners pursued diverse skills like digital marketing, project management, and data analytics, reflecting the need for versatility in today’s dynamic job market. Language learning also featured prominently, with courses like First Step Korean and Learning How to Learn underscoring the importance of personal development alongside technical and career-oriented education. Entry-level Professional Certificates, which require no prior experience or college degree, also gained traction, with over 70% of the top courses like Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere, and Foundations of Project Management  tied to industry micro-credentials.

“Filipino learners embraced the future of work in 2024, prioritizing GenAI and job-aligned, mission critical skills to stay competitive in an evolving job market. Their progress amidst GenAI’s disruption shows their resilience, adaptability and drive to lead on a global stage,” said Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Coursera. “In 2025, we expect the global race toward AI literacy to further accelerate, and we remain committed to empowering Filipino learners with accessible and transformative education for success in the AI-powered world.”

Preliminary insights from Coursera’s Job Skills Report 2025 indicate that Filipino enterprise learner efforts align closely with broader learner trends. Communication skills were the most-sought-after by Filipino learners, followed by GenAI, Risk Management & Mitigation, Technical Design & Systems Management, and Social Media & Marketing, emphasizing the efforts being made to build resilient, future-ready workplaces. These findings highlight the growing synergy between upskilling initiatives driven by Filipino institutions and the global workforce requirements. The upcoming report will unveil the fastest-growing job skills for 2025, drawn from insights based on the learning habits of Enterprise learners on Coursera.